Tumpek Landep: ceremonies for metal objects in Bali
Bali celebrates the holy day of Saniscara Kliwon Wuku Landep which occurs every 210 days, called Tumpek Landep. On this day, Hindu people make offerings and pray to God for their tools made of metals such as iron, bronze, gold etc. People ask for their safety from Ida Sang Hyang Pasupati, the manifestation of God as creator and owner of all tools made of metal.
Tumpek Landep was originally a ceremony to pay homage to items of ancestral heritage such as daggers and spears. However, over time the meaning of this ceremony has somewhat changed and locals bless all items made of metal including cars, motorcycles, computers and even refrigerators.
One of the fundamental rituals carried out during Tumpek Landep is the act of cleansing to ensure that devotees are pure to partake of the celebrations. This cleansing is carried out in honour of different ancestral spirits and is also a way to pay homage to the departed.
On this Tumpek Landep day, Hindus residing across the island are in particular respecting the metal spiritual goods especially Keris which is believed to have to possess spiritual power and nowadays served as one of cultural tangible heritages.
Tumpek Landep is also for the sharpening of our thought processes, it will lead us to the purity of our soul. By doing this, we will have good attitudes and control our desires so that we don’t commit inappropriate behaviour. Landep means sharp, by the sharp mind, it’s expected that we can fight against stupidity, darkness and misery as well.
Tumpek Landep is also a day for the cleaning and purifying of heirlooms. And for artists, it is a worship day to ask for the taksu (the aura of inner power that we feel in works of art), in order for their art to grow and progress, appreciated by people and be able to deliver moral messages through their works. At household level, Hindus serves some offering to the kitchen utensils such as knife, stove, fork, spoon and other metal goods supporting the household life. Of course, for farmers, they will also serve some offering to their farmer metal stuffs such as sickles, hoe, tractor, plough, etc. that support their routines.
Celebration Centre
The rituals are normally focused in the family temples of Pande (the metal tool makers or smiths). In Bali, originally, Pande is a family group who usually create metal tools such as keris, knife, etc; however, some of the family have now changed their jobs as government officers, private employees, hotel staff, cruise ship crews and so on.
The Pande temple located in the central of Singaraja for instance, always host a rite every Tumpek Landep day. The temple is usually decorated with red costumes which identically serve as the symbol of Bhatara Brahma (the god of fire) who worshipped by the Metal Smith family while working on metal stuffs. Similarly, the costumes of the worshippers, especially the men are also dominated with red.
In addition, the family of carpenters, house builders, and motorcycle and car workshops will make Tumpek Landep very special day as their works always deal with metals. This is the best day to thank to such stuffs for being so helpful easing their routine works.
The Dynamic of Tumpek Landep
As the time goes by, Hindus in Bali are also serving some offerings on their vehicles: bike cycle, motorcycles and cars on Tumpek Landep day to beg for safety anytime they are driven or rode on the roads.
Certainly, almost every cars and motor cycles are decorated with offering made from young coconut leaves while passing the roads and street on the island. Again, it does not mean that the vehicle producers create another god to be worshipped in Bali as it is only aimed at respecting the metal materials used for car that transport human on the earth.
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